I sat in the cafeteria, eating a baked potato that tasted dryer than the Sahara desert. My eyes floated over the kids all around me, this school wasn't really cliquey. They had sports teams but none of them were any good so it didn't really qualify them for instant popularity.

Every table was taken with different students. I liked how the goths sat with the jocks or the science nerds ate with the cheerleaders. It was nice to see everybody getting along without the fear of being bullied or looked down on.

"Princess!" Joel sat down at my table, bringing Abbey with him. I rolled my eyes at the nickname but I would rather be called 'princess' over 'Amelia' any day. He dropped two small cartons of butter down on my tray and smiled at me.

"The potatoes are dryer than a nuns pus—"

"Joel!" Abigail thankfully interrupted. I took the butter and coated my potato with it, secretly smiling to myself at Joel's crude humor. "What's he doing in here?" Abbey whispered, directing my attention to the cash registers.

Noah held his tray in two hands and roamed his sight around the cafeteria looking for a place to sit. He caught my gaze for a split second and I narrowed my eyes at him. It was only then that I noticed every single person in the room was also watching him. He took himself to an empty table and sat down, starting to eat his food.

I watched as people approached the table but the second they noticed it was Noah sitting there they deterred their direction and sat somewhere else. Every seat in the room was accompanied except for the seven seats surrounding Noah. People really were scared of him.

"Okay, nothing is making this edible." I admitted, throwing my fork down on the mutilated potato. "I'm gonna go grab a fruit bag and head to my locker before the bell rings." Joel and Abbey waved me off and I quickly made my way through the corridors and grabbed my gym stuff from my locker. I was dressed for gym class with my dark hair tied back into a ponytail before the bell even rang.

"Good afternoon class - Lyla tie your shoelaces - today we're going to play dodgeball." The gym teacher said excitedly. I scoffed under my breath, the gym at East Side was world class, with all the proper equipment gymnasts use. This was a empty sports hall with a draught.

"Team captains!" The teacher shouted with pep. "Joel and Freddy." I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back against the wall, waiting to be picked. Joel and Freddy rattled off names one by one, dwindling down the load until there were only a few unpicked students left. I glanced at Joel, wide eyed in a bid to communicate that he better pick me. He picked someone else.

"Hey! I'm good. None of you have seen me play, I got a lot of anger to release." I informed the two teams, feeling a little offended that neither of them picked me. Joel especially since I thought we were friends.

"Sorry Princess, Hannah I pick you." Joel said with a wolfish grin. I growled my annoyance.

It came down to me and Noah. Neither of us looked at one another. Our glare stuck on Joel's and Freddy's. They floated their eyes between us both, making it extremely obvious they didn't want to choose us.

"Your pick." Freddy sighed, giving up his choosing to Joel. I rolled my eyes, I swear to god if he doesn't choose me right now I am going to make him pay.

"Fine." Joel said disappointingly "Don't let me down Princess." I gritted my teeth together and joined his team, leaving Noah to join the other team.

"You should've picked me first." I complained. Joel laughed, a big boyish chuckle that vibrated through his chest.

"Look at you princess." He grabbed my hand and inspected my nails. "Baby smooth skin that has never needed to work for anything in her life let alone get nitty and gritty with a ball." I pulled my hand away slightly offended. "That soft knit sports bra and those Nike sweats are only made to make you look good, not to do an actual workout in." I glanced down at my casual attire and pursed my lips. He tugged on the thin strap of my pale pink cropped top. "One frantic movement in this thing and the girls will fly right out." I pushed my boobs back in place, I failed to mention I had taped them in place.

The teacher blew her whistle and I was ready, determined to prove Joel wrong. I stood in a line holding one of the balls, facing my opponents with my fiercest game face. On the second high pitched screech of her whistle I launched the ball across the room.

I didn't see who it hit or even if it hit anybody because I had to keep myself moving, dodging the numerous balls flying in my direction.

Now I hate sexism as much as the next feminist but I have to admit, the boys were stronger and more athletic than the girls in our gym class. More and more girls started taking their seats on the bench leaving only a few lucky ones remaining in the game.

"Fuck Daniel, you're throwing too hard." I shouted to one of the douchebag jocks on the opposite team. His throws were filled with aggression and it seemed like he aimed to hurt, he got Alicia square in the face. Joel took him out and we high fived one another in celebration.

"Noah you better watch your back you homophobic dick." Joel shouted across the room at Noah. I furrowed my brows at Joel, I could see the anger in his eyes. Noah smiled cunningly and threw the ball directly at Joel. Joel dodged it. "C'mon you pussy, you talk to her. Got nothing to say to me?"

"Joel." I warned, shaking my head at him. Noah stayed quiet, dodging all of the balls Joel threw his way. A ball stopped inches away from my face when Joel threw his hand out and knocked it away, keeping me in the game but holding on by a thread.

"Let's talk about why you haven't spoken in a year but then the new girl comes and you've suddenly got so much to say." Joel continued provoking him. "Did you tell her how you killed your parents?"

"Joel! That's enough!" I interrupted. Noah laughed, it was a small laugh under his breath but it didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Joel continued, holding the ball in his hand ready to throw. Noah bounced his ball three times and then threw it into the air and caught it. I watched the two boys as they stared one another down, to them they were the only two players in the match. "I'm going to kick your fucking ass one of these days, mark my words." Joel kept giving Noah attitude, Noah remained silent except his smile grew more evil.

In under a second Noah launched the ball across the room and it hit Joel in the chest, causing him to drop his own ball to the floor. As if in slow motion Joel glanced down at his chest solemnly.

"Shit." He muttered. "Don't let me down princess, take that smug dick face down." Joel left me, taking his seat on the bench with the other players.

My team was winning, there were seven of us and only four of them. I backed myself away, taking myself behind the other players like a coward. Noah picked up a ball and threw it at one of our players, then he picked up another and aimed it at another person on our team. Before I knew it he had single-handedly managed to remove every single player on my team, except me.

"Come on princess!" Joel shouted from the sidelines.

"Princess! Princess! Princess!" The whole room erupted into a chant, even the kids who were on his team. I grabbed a ball, he grabbed a ball.

We were eye to eye, watching one another's moves with great integrity. He nodded at me, signalling for me to throw the ball and I frowned. No way, I wasn't letting him just give me it. Minutes passed by, tense silent minutes.

"Throw it." I ordered.

He wiped his forehead on his arm and then held the ball above his head, I watched carefully and as soon as it started heading in my direction I dodged it. I threw mine and then bent down to pick up another, in the split second I took my eyes off him a ball bounced off my back and rolled onto the floor. The noise level around the room picked up and I stood upright, Noah gave me a small victory head nod and then turned his back to walk away.

I raised my ball in the air and pulled it backwards, thrusting it in his direction. A blur of orange zoomed past everyone and collided right with the back of his head. He froze and swiveled his feet on the floor to face me. This time I gave him a small victory head nod, technically he still won but that didn't stop me feeling victorious.

The whole room cheered uncontrollably and I took a bow. Noah shook his head at me and rolled his eyes but his lips spoke no words.